- Robert de Haan (Richardson Racing) leads the overall points standings and in the Rookie Division
- Sacha Norden (Team GP Elite) and Ralph Poppelaars (Hans Weijs Motorsport) top the PRO-AM class and AM class. AUGUST by NGT strongest team halfway through the season
Zonhoven, July 24, 2023. Three wonderful weekends are already behind us regarding the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux and three more are on the program. Assen, Circuit Zolder and the RedBull Ring are the places where the battle for the victories and ultimately the titles will continue. On August 12 and 13, the TT Circuit Assen will open the series of meetings during the Jack's Racing Day. This summer break is the perfect opportunity to introduce the leaders in the various classes.
With three victories and two second places, the barely 17-year-old Robert de Haan has already made his mark this season. De Haan is the reigning champion in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Southern Europe and has already made his debut in the Porsche Supercup. De Haan started his motorsport career in the British Ginetta one-make cup, won the Rookie classification there and made the switch to Spanish Formula 4 in 2022.
“But we decided to look towards Porsche for 2023 and after barely half a season, I can already say that I really feel at home in the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup – Type 992. This is the kind of racing car where I can really come into my own and winning the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux is really on my bucket list,” says the championship leader. "I can't wait for us to start again."
In the overall standings, De Haan leads with 121 points ahead of Glenn Van Parijs (AUGUST by NGT) with 104 points and 65 ahead of Ariel Levi (Huber Racing). De Haan is also first among the rookies, with 136 units, ahead of Dirk Schouten (Q1 Trackracing) with 101.
“What a competition”
Sacha Norden is the leader in the Pro-Am class after six of the twelve races and in the colors of Team GP Elite he also wants to secure his first place in the second half of the season. Norden started the season with honors, but won the fourth, fifth and sixth races, giving him a nice bonus over his pursuers, Aaron Mason (Revs Motorsport) and Didier Glorieux (Speedlover). Sacha Norden is a product of Porsche's motorsport ladder in the Benelux and was previously active in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Benelux and the Porsche Sprint Challenge Southern Europe. He too seems clearly bitten by the bug of racing with the German marque which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year.
In 'AM' Ralph Poppelaars already accounted for four of the six victories, against two for Cedric Chassang (Team GP Elite).
“And then I'm still very disappointed if I don't win,” says the rookie Poppelaars, who had very little experience before entering the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux. “I am a winner in my business life and just want to do that on the track. I'm a great fan of the Porsche brand, I also drive the German cars privately, and I'm having a great time here in the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux, what a competition. Obviously I want to go for the title and I also want to continue racing with Porsche in the future. My thanks also go to the people at Hans Weijs Motorsport who help me to make progress at every race.”
Among the teams, it is AUGUST by NGT that is leading the debates, thanks in part to two victories by Glenn van Parijs, but also the strong work of Benjamin Paque and Bertrand Baguette allows the Belgian team to hold off Richardson Racing and Huber Racing for the time being.